FSU's defense swamps USC tailback Chad Morton. [Times photo: Joseph Garnett Jr.] UF's Nafis Karim scored three touchdowns in a 2:22 span in the second quarter. [Photo: Michael Weimar]

Top stories
With two at the wire, it looks like McGwire
Mark McGwire regains the lead in baseball's home run chase with Nos. 67 and 68 but don't count out Sammy Sosa. More baseball

Rays get solid start from inaugural season
As their first season ends, the club looks ahead to success in 1999. More Devil Rays

Defense entitles FSU
Offense scuffles again, but USC falls 30-10. More colleges

To topple Kentucky, Gators call two arms
Jesse Palmer and Doug Johnson hit 7 TD passes, outgun Kentucky 51-35.

Hubert Mizell
Weinke gaining on being good
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke made lovely, high-impact Saturday passes in a 30-10 tanning of Southern California. Thirty-five-yard touchdown spiral to Ron Dugans. Also an adroit, deep-floating bazooka to Peter Warrick, gaining 41.

Devil Rays

Yankees get fatter on Rays
New York pads its AL win record and gives David Cone his first 20-win season in 10 years with a 3-1 victory.

Rothschild gets high marks for 1st season
NEW YORK -- He didn't have as many victories as Rolando Arrojo or hit as many homers as Bobby Smith, but manager Larry Rothschild didn't have a bad rookie year either.

Rays finger wallet as top pick assured
NEW YORK -- Having the worst record in the American League could be an expensive proposition for the Devil Rays. With Saturday's loss, the Rays are guaranteed of finishing behind Detroit, which means they have the first pick in the June amateur draft.

Bucs
If he plays, Green would return kicks
TAMPA -- Rookie Jacquez Green fielded punts more cleanly Saturday after being fitted for a new soft cast and could play Monday night against the Detroit Lions.

Lynch takes aim at Sanders
Bucs safety knows Lions' share of success rides on running back.

Alstott has deal to back Creatine
Company will use the Bucs fullback in ads to endorse its products, which are controversial.

Colleges
Gator defense hobbled by big plays
Three long receptions and a 100-yard kickoff return net 28 points for the Wildcats.

Supporting characters rush to center stage
TALLAHASSEE -- Florida State hoped to establish a consistent rushing attack against Southern California, but it was counting on 1997 ACC Player of the Year Travis Minor to lead the way.

Title bowl maintains interest in Seminoles
TALLAHASSEE -- Although Florida State has an early loss, representatives of the Fiesta Bowl, home of this year's national championship game, made the trek here.

McGriff, Karim hit 100-plus
GAINESVILLE -- For the first time since 1996, two Florida receivers gained more than 100 yards in a game.

Lightning
Demers cool on Nedved
TAMPA -- Lightning coach Jacques Demers didn't slam the door on center Petr Nedved, but he made clear Saturday just how unlikely it is that the Pittsburgh Penguins holdout will find his way into the Lightning locker room.

NFL
Watters soars, but not like an Eagle
The Seattle Seahawks are giving Ricky Watters what he wants -- the ball.

Soccer
Miami is end of road for Mutiny
The Columbus Crew couldn't stop the Mutiny Thursday night, and Hurricane Georges could not stop it this weekend. Despite a brush from the hurricane on Friday, the Mutiny was able to get to Fort Lauderdale for today's season finale against the Miami Fusion.

Baseball
Best, worst in year of renewal
On the final day of a 162-game season, a playoff spot is still to be determined. The most revered season record is up for grabs. And the sites and matchups for the post-season are not finalized 48 hours before the first pitch.

Outdoors
Captain's corner
One of the most overlooked and least pressured gamefish in the bay and gulf is the permit. Permit are sometimes confused with their smaller relative, the Florida pompano. The state record for permit is 51 pounds, but permit average about 25 in our neck of the woods. Pompano, on the other hand, rarely weigh more than 3 pounds.

Letters
NL needs to step in for McGwire
Umpire Bob Davidson's call on Mark McGwire's second home run Sunday (which would have been his 66th) was clearly in error. Since the magnitude of this bad call is so critical in establishing a correct major-league home run record, the National League should override the umpire's decision.

Preps
Hurricane forces Monday football
Teams have had to wait an extra few days thanks to Georges but are ready to go.